Hair help - what am I doing wrong???

[swinggal]

Practice, it really is all you can do as a beginner to master vintage styles. Learning by doing is the only way, and in the end, you will develop your own techniques and styles. Watch some decent tutorials and get some good books to help. The ladies here can help

Another tip after 12 years of doing my hair in vintage styles is that really clean, blow-dryed hair will not hold a curl for me (and many others). When I run vintage hair workshops I always tell the ladies NOT to wash their hair the morning or night before as slippery dhair is a nightmare to curl unless it is a total wet-set, which there is no time to do in a workshop without hood-dryers.

I mainly do 30s styles now, but when I used to do rolls a lot, they always worked better when my hair was not washed for a few days. Remember, the ladies of the day had their hair set and did not wash it for a week sometimes, they just re-curled it at night and then styled it each day. Many would wet-set it once a week at home, or they would have it wet-set and styled at a salon once a week if they had the money. Trying to style squeaky clean blow-dried hair just does not work for me.

Don't give up...juts keep trying. We've all been there

 

[ginfizz]

If you really want help you should show everyone pictures. It's too hard to make any guesses just from writing. If you were comfortable showing any pictures I'm sure lots of ladies would be able to tell you what you're doing wrong or if your middy is really a middy.

 

[Miss C]

I am more than prepared to show pictures, if you don't all laugh I've just got to work out the best way to get a decent photo!!

On Saturday night I was going out so thought would put the hot sticks in whilst I got ready, I sprayed with a little watered down setting lotion then rolled. When I took them out I brushed and brushed, brushed over my hand and brushed some more.......I was running out of time I rubbed some serum through and went out with 1970's head of wild hair that looked good, if a little crazy! Disaster averted!! Wished I'd taken some piccies of that!! No doubt will happen again

So first photos will be to show my modified middy!

And again, thank you to you all for the advice, much appreciated!

Cx

 

[Isis]

Kamikat is also right that the Middy may not have been done properly. A good Middy changed my vintage-hair life. It encourages curls and just lends itself so well to the look of the era, that even a crap set will come out looking authentic.

That is so true! I have teh luck of having a vintage hairdresser and her middy cut is the best thing that ever happened to my hair.

As everyone says, practice, practice, practise. It takes some time to get to know your hair. I didn't get the curls I wanted until I started to do standing pin curls and now I never do anything else, but that's me.

 

[Miss C]

Sorry ladies, am so behind with Christmas this year, when I get the time I promise to put some photos up for everyone to analyse!
If I don't get chance in next couple of days, would like to wish all of you lovelies a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Cx

 

[Mrs Chaddsley_Corbett]

[video=youtube;Tx4C_fkujb8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx4C_fkujb8&feature=related[/video]


[video=youtube;u4FH1YNqQ6E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4FH1YNqQ6E[/video]

 

[Flicka]

I was so relieved to read all of your replies; I'd almost despaired.

Mind, my cut is absolutely not suited for any kinds of curls and rolls because I'm recovering from a pixie cut so it's just too short. I have very (extremely) fine hair too - plenty of it, but baby quality. But even so, having tried a few styles and not getting exactly the look I wanted, I thought it was me rather than the hair... But now that I know that it's all about hanging in there! I've been wanting foam rollers and after reading what people say here, I think I need them. Unfortunately, I haven't found them in a single store here but there's always the internet.

Anyway, so much good stuff on this board. Absolutely lovely!

 

[rue]

Welcome to the Fedora Lounge Flicka!

 

[Flicka]

Thank you!

 

[Miss C]

Happy New Year ladies!

I have finally gotten round to taking some photos of my grown out modified middy! Let's just hope that I can manage to upload them. I straightened my hair as felt would give best results!

Please forgive the dodgy facial expressions and the large photos, twas my first time..........:eeek:

Am considering using Cdots tutorial, but not feeling quite brave enough!!

Cx

 

[kamikat]

Do you have layers or is it all one length? Generally speaking, long layers will give your curls more bounce. Also, your hair looks thick and the layers will lighten it up, helping to hold the set longer.

 

[Miss C]

Hi Kamikat, I have quite long layers cut in, but I think it was thinned as well, which maybe what is making it more difficult to style. Thinned ends are not a beginners friend as they go everywhere. Will have to try and find some end papers and see if that helps.
Cx

 

[Retro_GI_Jane]

I don't bother buying end papers. My husband is a chef and brought home a large roll of some heavy duty paper towels. I cut some up into squares and they work like a dream, they slide right off when I'm removing the curlers and no fuzz left behind. You might want to try that! I know others here do toilet paper but I would think that would lint for me but it might depend on the brand too.

 

[C-dot]

Thinned ends are not a beginners friend as they go everywhere.

Once you get comfortable with your styling method, though, you'll love your thinned ends. I think they give curls such a nice shape.

 

[fortworthgal]

My hair is thinned as well, it is insanely thick. You definitely need to be using end papers (or paper towels, or whatever) if you aren't already. I cannot roll my hair without it.

 

[ginfizz]

Oh now I want to try paper towels! Not that end papers are very expensive, you can get a few hundred for $1.

 

[Miss C]

So tomorrow night after my run I am going to try and set my hair. Have had a quick try using toilet roll end papers, makes it so much easier I have decided to begin my hair setting journey with sponge rollers and promise to stick with these until I love them or hate them!
Am going to now look at basic set patterns! Will try and remember to post some photos for you to giggle over!!
Cx

 

[Miss C]

I am sat typing with sponge rollers in - yipee!! It took a while and my arms are aching a little and I also had a bit of assistance from Mr C! I have taken a couple of real bad photos which I will share -

I think I need to get some more of the larger rollers, got 10 large and 11 small in! My set is probably not classed as a set as it's so bad, but I am pleased that I have them all in my hair!

So now I have got to get some sleep and all will be revealed in the morning! Photos to follow..........

Oh and kitchen roll makes better end paper than toilet roll
Cx

 

[ginfizz]

I will tell you right now from experience that that's a lot of hair in each roller. Generally you want the sections that you put into the rollers to be about the size of the rollers themselves. This will help it to hold better, give a better curl, have less of a weird gap thing going on, and mainly to help it dry over the course of the night. I don't know about your hair but if I did that to my hair it wouldn't dry overnight. I would definite use about double the amount of rollers that you currently have in your hair. So if something is wrong tomorrow I'd look into that as a potential problem.

 

[Miss C]

Thanks Ginfizz, will see what happens in the morning........looking at the photos I can see what you mean :eeek:
Guess I'll be looking into a supplier of bulk foam rollers!!
Cx